GANGAS. 



405 



from Scotland, Norway, and Lapland. The two principal species 

 are the Lagopus mutus, common in the Alps, the Pyrenees, and 

 the North of Europe and America ; and the Red Grouse {Lagopus 

 scoticus, Selby), which is found only in Great Britain and Ireland, 

 where it is much prized for its beauty, delicacy of flesh, and the 

 magnificent sport it afibrds when killed over dogs. The 12th 

 of August, the first day of Grouse- shooting, is looked forward to 

 by the disciples of the gun as anxiously as the Derby day by 

 turfmen. 



Perdicides. 



The distinctive features of the birds composing this family 

 are — a short beak, a small head, a round and massive body, 

 bare tarsi, with spurs more or less developed, and a middling- 

 sized back toe. The wings are sharp, pointed, or blunt, according 

 to the species. This family comprehends the Gangas {Pterocles, 

 Temm.), Syrrhaptes (111.), Quail {Coturnix), Partridge {Perdix, 

 Briss.), Colin {Ortyx, Steph.), Francolin {FrancoUnus, Briss.), and 

 Turnix (Bonap.). 



The GA^'GAS, or Attoyens, are essentially birds of passage, and 



Fig. 162. — Pin-tailed Sand Grouse (^Ptei odes setarius, GoiUd), Male and Female. 



in consequence are provided with long and sharply-pointed wings ; 

 but the range of their journeys is not very great. They resemble 

 the Plover in their power of lofty, rapid, and sustained flight. 



